Railway Traction Control Device with Redundant Mechanical and Electronic Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traction/braking control devices for railway vehicles are prone to untimely activation of emergency braking due to failures, such as hard point failures, which can lead to accidental passage into the emergency braking zone, compromising safety and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A traction/braking control device with redundancy between mechanical and electronic means, featuring a cam-based mechanical activation system and an encoder-based electronic activation system, along with a haptic system to generate a high torque, ensuring clear differentiation between service braking and emergency braking zones and maintaining functionality even in case of failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single mechanical hard point is used to differentiate service braking and emergency braking zones, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential failures causing untimely emergency braking activation
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into two independent activation systems: a mechanical activation means with cam-based switches and an electronic activation means with encoder-based detection. Each system independently monitors the manipulator position and can trigger emergency braking separately. This segmentation ensures that if one system fails, the other can still prevent untimely emergency braking activation, thereby improving reliability without requiring a completely complex redundant system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a haptic system as an intermediary between the driver and the braking systems. This haptic system provides force feedback to the manipulator, creating a perceptible hard point that guides the driver's operation. The intermediary haptic system helps prevent accidental passage into the emergency braking zone by providing tactile guidance, thereby improving reliability without adding complex control logic to the activation systems themselves.
2Speed
If mechanical means are used to activate emergency braking, then the response time is fast and reliable, but the precision of zone differentiation deteriorates compared to electronic detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges mechanical activation means and electronic activation means into a unified control system. The mechanical means with cam-based switches provide fast response time for emergency braking activation, while the electronic means with encoders provide precise zone differentiation. Both systems monitor the same manipulator position and can independently trigger emergency braking, combining the speed advantage of mechanical systems with the precision advantage of electronic systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic activation means incorporates feedback through encoders that continuously monitor the manipulator position and provide detection signals to processing means. This feedback mechanism ensures precise zone differentiation by accurately detecting when the manipulator enters the emergency braking zone. The feedback signal is processed to generate control signals that can trigger emergency braking with high precision, complementing the fast response of the mechanical system.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The control device (10) includes a manipulator (12) that is angularly movable about a pivot axis (X), relative to a reference direction (A), over a stroke comprising a traction angular zone (Z1) and a service braking angular zone (Z2) located on either side of the reference direction (A), and an emergency braking angular zone (Z3) located beyond the service braking angular zone (Z2). The manipulator (12) is rotationally fixed to a shaft (14) extending along the pivot axis (X). The control device (10) includes mechanical means (16) for activating an emergency braking device, depending on the angular position of the shaft (14). It also includes electronic means (24) for activating the emergency braking device, depending on the angular position of the shaft (14).